


Celtic challenge of murder ballads, song 2, part 5

by AzureAngel2



Series: "I will never marry", a series of Sheev Palpatine vignettes [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 16:07:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11234493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureAngel2/pseuds/AzureAngel2
Summary: Summary: An elderly man sits in his private apartment. Life is not fun for him most of the time. There are people to bully and an Empire to be reigned. At least his niece is able to enjoy a beach trip to Scarif on his expenses.Time frame: The story takes place about 2 weeks after RotS (19 BBY).Planet of choice: CoruscantDisclaimer: SW is owned by George Lucas, Lucas Ltd. and now The Walt Disney Company





	Celtic challenge of murder ballads, song 2, part 5

**Story 5:** _“She plunged her fair body in the waters so deep”_

 

It's not your Chair of Office that you sit it, but one of the three replicas in your private office. You made yourself comfy in it hours ago. The Naboo blossom tea in the mug next to your left wrist is already cold, but you don't mind. You never had the intention to finish it anyway.

In an endless loop your favourite score of _'Squid Lake'_ fills the air.

The window that Master Windu shattered during the duel got repaired. The splinters of glass are gone. Only your deformed features are the evidence of the fight, that happened in here.

For a brief heartbeat you close your eyes. In your head you quote a line from Nagina's most favoured book. The one most fetching for the state that you are in. _“I can feel this body DYING all around me!”_

You have become a being like Darth Sion, the former Sith Marauder. Every centimetre of your body crawls with agony. You are covered in cracks and scars, can feel the decomposing of your flesh day by day. A walking dead of Koriban, that's what you are now.

The dark side of the Force comes with a price, but you willingly paid it. In return you are held together by powers that some may consider unnatural. But you are alive and that is all that counts.

Eventually, you will get used to the new pain. It is but a question of time. Perhaps even a matter of patience with yourself.

Pain is an old acquaintance of yours. He entered your life when you were almost strangled in your crib. You survived the incident, but he decided to stay with you. With growing leisure he followed you like a shadow entity. A phantom menace.

Throughout your childhood you felt pain's touch. The man who sired you was very creative: knifes, canes and whip lashes.

Finally came the day, when you accepted pain as a companion.

But all the hardship of your youth was just a preparation for your years as a Sith acolyte. There, you learned a new definition of pain. It turned into a blooming flower in your chest.

You look at Sly Moore out of the corners of your eyes. She still cowers where you told her too wait after you were finished with her.

With a booming voice you say, “You may leave now!”

Her head jerks up at the tone of your command. This way you can stroke her cheekbones with your left thumb. She quivers like a little rodent in a trap, longing in her colourless eyes.

“No!” you breathe.

There is another desire in you at present, one she will never be able to fulfil. But there is another who can.

You watch your pet leave, enjoy the trail of blood her tortured feet leave behind.

Quality time is rare for an Emperor, but you took the right to claim it anyway. Inside these walls you want to be a private person, deal only with private matters. Hours with Sly Moore are but pet training. But to plunge into Nagina's life is like a walk over a flowering meadow.

It was not Krennic's idea to lure her away to Scarif. You want her there, because she is a water creature. Always was.

Of course you have cameras all over the island and so you can watch the encoded security footage from your special chair.

Nagina looks a bit worn out when she leaves the space ship right after Krennic. You suppose they had another argument.

To your delight they already fight like real siblings. At least you think that this is the way brother and sister deal with one another. Your own family, long gone, is your only resource material on such matters. To contact the Anils is always a bit embarrassing for you.

Child education is still a book with seven seals and Nagina already turns forty-one in a couple of days.

You operate your inbuilt comlink while watching your niece walking towards the beach.

“Thousands of white daisies for the guest bedroom of Mistress Samye.”

“As you wish, my Emperor,” answers your secretary dutifully. “May I please you with anything else?”

Normally, you would snarl at Dar Wac for too much efficacy on his side, but seeing Nagina in her cute tankini swimming suit sets something lose in you. She has worn it under her normal clothing the entire time. It pleases you that she is always so thoughtful, so practical.

You hope that she also used sun lotion before leaving Lothal. It would be a pity if she catches a nasty sun burn. You do not want her to look like Vader.

Thinking about your broken apprentice, you add, “White stargazer lilies for the brand new mausoleum of Senator Amidala.”

Padmé had been a worthy foe until the end. Her life force was also useful to turn the leftovers of her husband into a loyal zombie.

“May that be all, my Emperor?”

“Make sure that Lord Vader knows about the flowers!” you say promptly, straightening with negligent air.

If that howling wraith would not consume most of your time, you would have been able to be with Nagina right now. Of course, you said that the two of you need a certain distance, but truth is that your heart cries out for her. You cannot let go of her so easily.

Around your niece life seems to be normal. And when you get her to smile at you, it is so very rewarding.

You hang your head. But not for long.

Gleefully, Nagina hops into the ocean, which is a sight you always loved. On land she is graceful in your eyes. But when she connects with her true element, she is magical.

_“She plunged her fair body in the waters so deep,”_ you quote an old text from the Lake Country.

It is a song about a woman committing suicide, but your niece is too strong for such a foolish act. You were worried there for a while, when Barin died. But she has recovered. No matter what obstacles are put in her way, she prevails. As solid as a rock.

You should have taken her gene material to create life. Not yours.

High midi-chlorian count or not, the boy is flawed. And stupid.

Nagina showed more grace when moaning for her husband.

You curse, using some very mean expressions in Huttese.

Instead of white stargazer lilies you should have requested sand stinkhorn. You know too well how much Vader hates desert related things. It would shred him even more to see Amidala's grave blemished.

Ugly crackling comes forth, but after a while it turns into a sob.

You wish you could be with Nagina. Share the joys of Scarif. But there is an acolyte to harrow and an Empire to build. Krennic will have to do as a companion for your niece.

**Author's Note:**

> Sources:  
> The song “I never will marry”, the version of Heather Dale  
> Quote from the Fantasy book “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle (1968)  
> Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki  
> Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia


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